Legal and Institutional Framework

International Friends of the Great Wall was registered as a society on April 11th, 2001 in accordance with the provisions of section 5A (1) of the Societies Ordinance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (see Appendix 2).

The Society is a membership based, non-profit organization. The Constitution of The Society explains fully The Society's mission, institutional structure, work scope, rules and financial matters in the so-called preparatory period (from January 1st 2001 until a time deemed suitable). The Constitution notes that the two strategic partners of The Society are the Beijing Administrative Bureau for Cultural Relics and UNESCO Beijing Office.

The memorandum proposes that the physical link representing The Society's and The Bureau's collaboration will be "The Centre for Great Wall Conservation Studies", to be located within the compound of The Bureau's offices, and that the centre will serve as the decision-making, management, administrative, field-work analysis and teaching base of the Society. It will also act as the venue at which Chinese and foreign visiting scholars, funded by the Society or their own funds, can carry out work for The Society.

A Memorandum of Understanding will also be signed with UNESCO Beijing Office.

The Society's work will be decided by its Board of Directors which shall consist of the society's principal officers, two officers from The Bureau and one officer from UNESCO Beijing Office. The Board of Directors will convene meetings at least once every three months. The Society's directors will jointly allocate funds donated to The Society and ensure, monitor and report their appropriate use. The Society's Accountant will make an annual report which should be made available to officers of The Society and relevant government financial departments in the Hong Kong SAR.

The Board of Directors will have as their advisory resource a Council of Scholars composed of recognized Great Wall experts, conservation experts, legal experts and landscape geographers and all will be sourced from leading Chinese and foreign institutions. The Council of Scholars will meet with The Society's Board of Directors once every three months.